Conquering Destiny
by Yua-hime
Summary: No one's sure what happened – not the marines, not the pirates, and certainly not Ace and Luffy. One minute Admiral Akainu has a fist through Ace's stomach and the next he's blown away like a leaf in a cyclone and Ace and Luffy are gone. Things only get more confusing for the two brothers when they wake up in a small dinghy in the ocean with the Oro Jackson bearing down on them.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Sooo... To anyone who sees this and is reading my other story Crossing Boundaries, I am working on the next chapter. However, this idea wouldn't leave and nothing was coming to me for Crossing Boundaries, even though I do know what i want to happen. So instead, I decided to let my muse guide me and this is what I've got.**

 **Okay, so this is my first One Piece fanfiction. I've read a lot of them, but I've always been a bit hesitant to write one, but like I said before, this idea wouldn't leave me alone.**

 **A few things you should know before you read! This story is obviously AU. Ace lives and so does Whitebeard (though that last one wasn't intentional. I actually hadn't realized how injured he was before Ace died, cause I've been refusing to watch those episodes...) Anyway, I didn't feel like writing Whitebeard out, so lets just say he wasn't as gravely injured as everyone thought.**

 **There may also be some discrepancies because I haven't actually seen Ace's death scene in full. I've seen clips of it, fan-art and music videos, but that's about it. Also, very little is known about Gol D. Roger's time and his journey, so if things come to light later, it's AU.**

 **Finally, if there's any problem with the characterization, please let me know. As this is my first time writing these characters, I'll be a little shaky at first. There are some things that will likely be on purpose, but any constructive criticism is welcome.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy and you can get to the chapter after this brief disclaimer.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. It's characters and plot are the sole property of Eiichiro Oda and the holders of it licenses. This story is not meant to receive a profit or claim any kind of ownership of the work.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Confusion on the Battlefield! Ace and Luffy Disappear!**

The world was moving in slow motion. It was strange considering how just moments before everything had been moving too fast. But now, suddenly he couldn't move. It was ridiculous. The world was slowing down, and his body was going right along with it. All he could do was watch as the magma coated fist drew closer. Any minute it would reach him, bringing about his demise. There was no way for him to escape.

But then…it _didn't_ come. Something warm and wet hit his face, but it wasn't magma from Akainu's ability. It was…something else. Something that Luffy could barely believe, despite seeing it for himself. All he wanted to do was shut his eyes and pretend that it was all some terrible nightmare that he could wake from.

But…

"Lu…ffy…"

But…

"A-Ace…"

But he _couldn't_.

Blood and magma mixed together on the ground beneath Ace. The smell was enough to make one choke, but it barely even registered in Luffy's mind. The entire battlefield seemed to have stopped moving, just like Luffy's world. Even as Ace coughed up blood, splattering Luffy's face and clothes, nothing penetrated the complete incomprehension of what had happened. He _knew_ and yet, he couldn't _understand._

And then something else happened.

Even many years into the future, not a single person who stood witness to the event would ever be able to explain it. In fact, most of them barely even knew what had happened, let alone how. It was so strange, so inexplicably random and completely unforeseen, that not a single living soul could do anything.

Steam began to rise from Ace, where Akainu's fist still penetrated. And then, in only a matter of seconds, some kind of explosion occurred. There was a flash so bright it blinded everyone and a thunderous banging that caused even the most experienced veterans of war to flinch. A dust cloud covering a hundred feet radius loomed over the area Ace, Luffy, and Akainu had last been seen.

Suddenly, only moments after whatever had occurred, a body was flung from the cloudy smoke. It took a few seconds for everyone to recognize it, but once they did, they were gob smacked.

"Admiral Akainu!" some of the soldiers yelled in shock as his body was sent flying some distance away.

"Ace!"

"Luffy!"

The pirates and their allies yelled in helplessness, not sure what to expect, but sure it wouldn't be good. Everyone watched with anticipation as the dust cloud began to settle. Some wanted to look away, sure that anything that could cause such damage to and Admiral would not leave pretty sight. But at the same time, there was a sort of morbid curiosity that kept them from looking away. When the dust finally did clear, no one could believe their eyes.

"Where the hell are they, yoi!?" Marco called out in agitation that he had lost his little brother and his little brother's little brother.

Where moments before the two D brothers stood was nothing but empty space. If it hadn't been for the large puddle of blood still there, it would have looked like there had never been anyone there at all.

"Th-they're gone!" Helmeppo called out in shock.

"What's going on?" Coby asked, horrified at the sudden disappearance.

It was Whitebeard who finally pulled it together enough to make an order. "My children! We must pull back!" As much as he wanted to stay and fight, he knew that it was pointless if the child he came to fight for was no longer there and possibly in danger elsewhere.

"Oyaji!?"

"Ace is no longer here and our first priority is to find him and Strawhat Luffy!"

"Y-yes, Oyaji!"

And with that, the Whitebeard pirates and their allies began to retreat. Whatever had happened to the two brothers they were no longer there. Even those with mastery in Kenbunshoku Haki could no longer sense them. Fortunately for the pirates, the strangeness and abruptness of the brothers' departure allowed them to escape with almost no resistance.

* * *

Ace felt himself drifting. Everything was dark, though he couldn't tell if that was just because his eyes were closed or if they were open and the space he was in lacked any kind of light. His body felt lighter than it had ever been, even when he became fire. His head was stuffy, like someone had shoved cotton balls into his ears and mouth and nose, though he didn't have any trouble breathing. For a moment, everything was calm and peaceful as he floated. But then, he felt a weight on his hand, as if someone were squeezing it and the peace was broken.

Something heavy and solid settled in his stomach and his chest constricted. Suddenly the stuffy feeling left his head and his entire body came alive with sensation. It was a bone deep burning, like nothing he'd ever felt before. Ace wasn't used to feeling hot, he hadn't in so long, after all, but at that moment all he wanted was relief from the scorching heat and indescribable pain he felt. After only a few minutes his wish was granted and he was sent deeper into darkness and a state of unawareness.

The next time Ace regained consciousness he could tell he was on a boat of some kind. The gentle to and fro sway of the waves was enough of an indicator of that. He could also feel the rough, slightly damp wood on his back and smell the salty air. Another scent was also mixed in – ozone from a recent storm or a coming one. Ace hoped it was the former, because already he knew that the boat he was on was small and not very stable; probably a dinghy of some sort.

There was someone else on the boat. He could feel the warm weight against his left side, hear the light breathing, and feel the slow up and down movement of their chest. Ace felt like he should know who it was immediately, but his mind was still fuddled from whatever had just happened. What had just happened? He remembered being unbelievably hot, a sensation he hadn't felt in years. He was sure that Luffy had been there…

Ace's eyes snapped open as a sudden barrage of memories assaulted him. He sat up quickly with a gasp clutching at his stomach where he knew Akainu's magma fist had penetrated. The weight on his left side fell away a little and he looked over just in time to see his little brother sit up and look around bleary eyed. His eyes widened at the sight of him, but he didn't have much time to really take in the change in Luffy's appearance as his brother's eyes caught onto him.

"A-Ace…?" Luffy's voice was soft and quivering.

The sheer vulnerability in that one word sent spikes through Ace's heart. He had almost died, and his brother had been their watching. He would never take back his decision. If it came to his life or Luffy's it would always be Luffy's. But if he could help it, he didn't want to leave Luffy alone. He was determined to stop being so reckless. After all, it was his recklessness in fighting Teach and underestimating him that had put them in such a situation in the first place.

"Yeah, Luffy…" he said, trying to convey to his brother that he was there and not an illusion.

Suddenly he found himself with an armful of sobbing little brother. He couldn't hold back his own cries as he held the other boy tightly to him. He didn't think that he would ever have the chance to hug his little brother again and now that it had been given to him, he never wanted to let go.

"I'm sorry, Luffy. It's okay. I'm here."

He continued his placations for a good long while, until the sobbing had been reduced to occasional sniffles. Even once he was calm, though, Luffy didn't move from his spot, and Ace wasn't inclined to make him.

"I…thought you were dead," Luffy said, voice muffled from his brother's chest, but still audible.

"Me too…" Ace replied, giving his own little sniff at the end of his sentence as his own tears dried.

"Don't do it again," Luffy demanded firmly.

Ace smiled at the sincerity of the request, wondering not for the first time what he ever did to receive such love. No matter how much he wanted to make his brother happy, though, that was one promise he couldn't make. "I can't do that," he stated simply, but with a tone that brooked no argument.

Luffy argued anyway. "But Ace…!" he began, for once without the whining lilt the words often had, as he raised himself up to look at his brother.

"No buts, Luffy," Ace said sternly, before taking his brothers' face into his hands gently, forcing the other to look him in the eye and see his seriousness. "No matter what, if you're ever in danger, I'll give everything to save you, even if it's my life," his face softened a little. "You're my bumbling kid brother. How could I not?"

Luffy stared him in the eye critically, before finally letting a pout cross his features. "Fine," he said a little petulantly, before becoming serious again. "Then I'll get strong enough so you don't have to save me!"

Ace smirked. "You've still got a long way to go, little brother."

"I'll catch up in no time!" he said determinedly, before he paused and a quizzical expression crossed his face.

Ace furrowed his brow at the change. "Oi, what's wrong?"

"Hey, Ace, why are you so small?"

Ace barely kept himself from face planting into the small life boat lest he tip it and drown them. "I should have figured you wouldn't notice until now," he said with a sigh, though fondness could easily be heard in his voice. "Luffy, I'm not really sure why, but it appears both of us have become younger…I'd say about five years give or take," he said looking Luffy up and down.

It was actually hard to tell, since they both still had all the same scars that they had had when they were older, but that was his best guess.

"What!? Really!?" Luffy said freaking out.

"Luffy! Calm down before you capsize us!" Ace yelled and Luffy quickly settled down.

"I don't really understand it, but we're not really in our younger bodies. I still have my Mera Mera no Mi powers and this scar where Akainu's fist was…" he said, trailing off at the end and running a hand across his abdomen.

Luffy frowned at the reminder and glared at the wound on his brothers chest as if the intense gaze could wipe away the scar.

"Whatever the deal is, we need to find land and figure out a way to contact Oyaji and the others. They're probably worried, and I can tell that this younger body is proportionally weaker than my old one."

Lufy nodded seriously. "Right," he said in agreement. "But first, we need some meat."

Both boys' stomach's growled then and Ace nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. Can't fight on an empty stomach."

Once their course of action had been agreed upon, Ace looked around at their surroundings. There little boat was in the middle of nowhere and there was no way for Ace to know where they were. They had no maps or log poses and even the stars were covered by thick clouds. The only bright side was that the clouds weren't storm clouds, so the thick sent of ozone was from a storm that had already passed. The evidence of it was also scattered around in the form of debris from a broken ship, though not much more than a few planks seemed to have survived.

"It looks like we'll have to pick a direction and hope for the best…" Ace said aloud, though he was mostly talking to himself. "I suppose we'll just stay straight." Before he could make use of his Mera Mera powers, Luffy began to call excitedly to him.

"Ace! Look! Look!" he said pointing out to their port side.

"What is it, Luffy?" Ace asked as he looked to where his brother was pointing.

He frowned when he saw what appeared to be a ship sailing in their direction. He could already tell that it wasn't a marine vessel. Its colors were too dark, as all marine ships had white and blue coloring.

"I can't see the flag," Luffy said, pouting.

"Well, I don't think it's anyone we know. I don't recognize the shape of the ship at all," Ace said.

"Should we wait?"

It was a strangely reasonable question for the completely unreasonable boy, but Ace knew Luffy wasn't as stupid as people thought he was. More than unintelligent, Luffy was mostly brash and simple-minded. He took things at face value, rarely ever questioning what was before him. His tendency to seek thrills and adventure didn't really help people's opinion of him. But one thing Luffy did have going for him, was a natural instinct. He was a good judge of character and he knew when things didn't feel right. He just didn't always listen to his instincts.

"Yeah. At least until we see their Jolly Roger. If they're friendly they might help, if not, we can always storm the ship and take it."

"Yosh!"

They waited as the ship came closer. It was large, at least a galleon size, possibly larger, so it didn't take very long for it to come close enough for them to make out some more details. The sails were very dark, as was most of the ship. The color was hard to make out in the night, but light, almost golden looking wood covered the rails and most of the bow of the ship. Two mermaids carved into the lighter wood rose up from beneath the long dark bowsprit, hands stretched out as if holding it up. It was a rather spectacular vessel, but what really caught their eye was the flag they flew.

The Jolly Roger was one that Ace recognized, though Luffy didn't seem to at first. Ace knew that would change quickly. There was only one distinguishable mark about it, but it was undeniable. Four strange swirling lines rested across the upper lip of the skull, depicting a rather spectacular mustache – and a very familiar one at that.

"Luffy," Ace hissed, eyes never leaving the ship. "Don't you recognize that Jolly Roger?"

Luffy tilted his head, face screwed up in contemplation. "It looks familiar…"

"Luffy…that ship…It's the Oro Jackson," Ace told him.

Luffy glanced at Ace in surprise, before his eyes widened catching onto why the Jolly Roger was so familiar looking. "No way!" he yelled with excitement and disbelief, not bothering to keep quiet.

Ace didn't feel inclined to chastise him. He was too surprised and horrified to worry about that. After all, he was staring at his father's ship. Gol D. Roger, the pirate king who had died over twenty-two years ago and whose ship had sense been lost...was sailing right towards them.

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, so that was it. Not very long, but the next one should be better. Hopefully you all enjoyed it! The next chapter shouldn't take very long to come out, but I won't be making any promises. Anyone who reads my Crossing Boundaries story will know that sometimes life makes it difficult for me to update regularly. On the bright side, I have pretty much the entire thing outlined (or loosely outlined; there's still some room for changes and extra stuff).**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Okay, so I was able to get this up in one week's time. I would really like to get them up every week, but realistically speaking, that's not likely to happen. I have life and another fanfiction that can get in the way, but I should be able to manage a weekly/bi-monthly updating schedule. And I will definitely update on Mondays. This will make it easier for any guests to know when a new chapter comes out, or at least when they should look for a new chapter.**

 **In several reviews it was pointed out to me that I used Kizaru's name instead of Akainu. This had been changed. I knew that it was Akainu, because I kept saying his name in my head, but for some reason, it kept translating to Kizaru, which sounded weird when I read through it, but I couldn't seem to figure out why... If something like that happens again, please let me know!**

 **It was also pointed out to me that Luffy's 'x' shaped scar was received after Ace died. Considering Everything changed almost the moment Ace was attacked, Luffy wouldn't have his scar. I remedied this. It's not a huge change that requires the chapter to be reread, I just took out all mention of Luffy's chest scar.**

 **Now then, the response for the last chapter was overwhelming to say the least. I knew that it was a more popular fandom than the Digimon one (which I currently write in), but I hadn't expected this much of a response for the first chapter. I'm really pleased and very excited with continuing this story. Truthfully, I had thought a time or two about writing a One Piece story, but I was always worried I wouldn't be able to get the characterization down, especially Luffy's, so I'm glad to see that you all think I'm doing okay for now.**

 **This chapter will be explanation oriented mostly, but it needed to be done. We'll get to the action soon enough, but don't expect too much, because the purpose of this story is not action packed fights, but family bonding and adventure with a few fights thrown in.**

 **A few other things I think it is important to mention. First, this story will contain cussing. It's about pirates, so that seems a given. It won't be every other word, cause I don't like it, but if cussing offends you, it's probably best not to read this story. Second, this story will also contain OCs. Only five people, including Roger himself, are canonically revealed to have been on Roger's crew (that I have seen, at least), so I need OCs. They will be important in the sense that they are crew mates that Ace and Luffy will interact with and form bonds with, but you don't have to worry about romance, cause that would be weird.**

 **If you'd like to make a contribution to the crew, feel free through a PM. I won't use everything I'm given and they may not show up a lot, but I only currently have two OCs specifically planned (which are shown in this chapter). I don't mind taking suggestions, in fact, I'd appreciate them. If I don't get any, well, I'll just make them up as I go. I'm good at doing that too. Note, however, I won't take anything given to me through reviews. Sorry to guest reviewers, but I don't want to get a review that only contains a character profile or something like that. I've seen such things in reviews for other stories, and it's irritating.**

 **Now then, I'd like to thank everyone who had favorited and followed this story and I would like to give special thanks to Tsukino Aisuru - A, Wordlet, Opirou, mutteringsandramblings, 33381, Leska(guest), lovelu(guest), mysteryreader6626, OnePieceDoesExist, Naeme, rion-rion, Mithril Lace, and Kagamine Miharu who all reviewed this story. Thanks a bunch!**

 **Anyway, you can continue to the story after this brief disclaimer.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. It's characters and plot are the sole property of Eiichiro Oda and the holders of it licenses. This story is not meant to receive a profit or claim any kind of ownership of the work.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Colliding with the Past! The King of the Pirates Appears!**

Sarri yawned tiredly as she stared out at the silent ocean. She was on watch in the crow's nest tonight and she was thoroughly bored. Out of all the night shift positions on board, watching from the nest was both the easiest and the most excruciatingly boring. The only bright side was that the shift switched every three hours to keep the crew from getting too bored and causing trouble. Unfortunately, Sarri had only just begun her night.

It was maybe half an hour into her shift when she thought she caught some movement in front of the ship. It looked like something was floating in the ocean, but from this distance, it was hard to be sure what it was.

"Hey, Mikkel!" she called down to her little brother who was on duty at the bow. "I think I see some debris in the water, but it's hard to tell!"

"Got it!" he called back, grabbing a telescope from the sash around his waist. After only a moment, Mikkel shouted back in alarm. "Get the captain! There's a small dingy with two survivors straight ahead!"

Sarri saw one of the others run towards the sleeping quarters. She was surprised that a dingy had survived the storm that had raged the previous night. She supposed that it belonged to whatever ship's debris was floating in the water. More than it having survived, she was surprised that it was still in the area. By now, surely it would have drifted away? Whatever the deal was, she supposed they would have to wait until the two survivors were brought on board.

* * *

"How…how is this possible?" Ace asked overwhelmed by the sudden appearance of the Oro Jackson. "That ship shouldn't exist anymore!"

"Ace?" Luffy asked worriedly, watching his brother's tense face. He didn't receive an answer and looked back to the ship. He was excited that he could see the ship that the King of the Pirates had sailed the seas with, but he also knew what it meant for Ace. His brother's distress dampened his own excitement.

As the ship drew closer, Ace seemed to snap back to reality. "Luffy," he said seriously, still not taking his eyes off the Oro Jackson. "Whatever's going on – no matter who we see on that ship – keep quiet. Let me do the talking."

Luffy frowned. "You know what's going on?" he asked, almost pouting that Ace might be leaving him in the dark.

Ace shook his head, face grim. "No clue. But whatever it is, it can't be good and we're going in alone at only a fraction of our power, especially you, Luffy."

Ace knew that while he was a teenager, he was at least at a respectable height. Luffy, on the other hand, who had always been smaller than average, was much smaller and even with a greater amount of control over his powers, the significantly decreased body mass would be a huge disadvantage.

Luffy pouted at that, not liking that he was being asked to take a backseat, but he also understood why his brother wanted him to, so he agreed without too much fuss.

As the boat approached, the tense atmosphere around them increased. The water stirred and their little dingy rocked violently. Instinctively, Ace grabbed onto Luffy's slightly too big shirt, trying to make sure he didn't fall overboard all the while clinging onto the side of their little dinghy to keep himself aboard. The ship began to slow as it approached and Ace assumed the people aboard had noticed the distress their boat had come under.

Despite the slowing pace, it wasn't more than a few minutes before the huge ship was only a couple feet away from them. A rope ladder was thrown over the side of the ship and Ace and Luffy were forced to duck so it didn't knock them in the head.

"Sorry!" someone yelled from above, peaking over the railing. They couldn't make out his appearance very well, but they could tell that he had dark hair of some sort, most likely black, and pale skin. "Hurry and climb up!"

"Okay!" Luffy yelled back not even thinking about it as he reached for the ladder.

"Luffy!" Ace hissed quietly so as not to be heard by the pirates, before smacking his brother's hand away from the ladder. "Don't accept their offer so easily!"

Luffy pouted at him. "Why not?" he whined. He really didn't want to stay in the small cramped boat. Plus, that was the ship that belonged to the King of the Pirates. He really wanted to go explore it!

Ace ignored his brother's question and instead focused on the slowly growing crowd of pirates above them. "Why should we trust you!?" he demanded, glaring menacingly.

Some of the men shifted at the look and Ace fought a smirk. He was glad he hadn't de-aged so much that his glare was ineffective against pirates. It gave him both satisfaction and an upper hand if he ever needed to bluff.

The pirate who had thrown down the ladder appeared to frown, though it was hard to tell for sure in the low light and odd angle. "We might be pirates, but we don't want to hurt you!" he called down, trying to seem non-threatening.

Ace was unimpressed, and made it known. "You could be lying!"

"But we're not!" the guy called down, almost sounding like he was whining.

"And why should I trust the word of a pirate!?"

Ace knew it sounded kind of strange coming from his mouth and he was glad Luffy was somehow managing to keep his mouth shut. Being a pirate himself, he knew exactly the kind of people most pirates were. And if these pirates had the gall to be sailing in this ship of all things, they couldn't have been that great.

"Whether you trust us or not, you'd be better off on this ship than in that dingy!" another person called down. She was tall, taller than the dark haired boy and had lighter hair than him, but the same pale skin. "Do you even know where you are or where you're going?"

Ace was irritated that the girl had made sense. He and Luffy had no idea where they were or where they were going. They had no supplies, were suddenly at least at half power, possibly lower, and they were both devil fruit users in a small boat that looked ready to fall apart. Truth be told, Ace was surprised that it hadn't started to take on water yet. But dammit all to hell if he didn't want to stay as far from that ship as possible. The ship that once belonged to his father, the Oro Jackson, he would rather burn it than hitch a ride. Luffy was of a different mind.

"Ace~" he whined, pulling on his brothers arm. "I'm hungry."

Ace felt his resolve crumbling. As much as he didn't want to go aboard the ship, Luffy was his little brother and he wasn't going to let him starve. Plus, he was kind of hungry himself.

"Fine!" he called up, "But you'd better not try anything funny!"

"Whatever you say, hotshot," the woman called down, sounding far too amused about his threatening tone.

Ace decided he didn't really care if they were underestimating him. It would only help if things started to go south. He turned to his brother, who was about to grab ahold of the ladder again. "Luffy, remember what I said and keep quiet," he said. Luffy huffed, but nodded his head in agreement anyway. "And don't reveal your devil fruit powers."

This time Luffy blinked at Ace in confusion. "Why not?"

"It's better if they don't know everything we're capable of in case they end up not being as friendly as they're acting."

Luffy stared at him for a moment before shrugging. "Okay, Ace."

Ace smiled at the trust Luffy had in him, glad that he was still willing to follow his lead despite having grown up to be an amazing pirate captain. It made him feel needed and loved.

"You gonna come up before the rooster crows, or what?" the woman yelled down, sounding impatient.

Ace smiled up at the crew. "Sorry, we're on our way now!" he called up, becoming polite and throwing the crew off guard by the sudden change in attitude.

He quickly grabbed hold of the ladder, making sure he was first up. Luffy didn't seem to take offense and simply attached himself to Ace's back, making a concentrated effort not to wrap his arms around the other's shoulders several times. Ace grunted at the unexpected weight, but didn't bother to shake his brother off. Not only was Luffy ridiculously light especially at his current age, he also had every right to be clingy. He had essentially just seen Ace's execution, whether it was as successful as it had first appeared or not. And really, he didn't feel like letting Luffy go either.

It barely took any time at all before Ace was jumping over the railing to stand on the solid boards of the ship's bow. The pirates around them looked at them curiously while Ace watched them cautiously. Luffy, slid off his back, but stayed close to his side, studying the pirates with a blank look that was obviously making them uncomfortable. He couldn't help the slight curl at the corner of his mouth at Luffy's ability to make people uncomfortable without even trying. Back on Mt. Corvo it had been one of the best forms of distraction for the three brothers when they were stealing and sneaking around.

"Alright men, enough gawking!" the dark (brown, Ace realized) haired woman from before snapped as she came to stand before them. "Get back to your posts!"

The men grumbled but they left anyway, all save for the other dark (black) haired guy, who looked sort of like the woman, save for their hair colors. Both were pale with elven like features and sharp golden eyes. Ace suspected they were related in some way.

"Mikkel, what are you still doing here?" the girl asked.

Mikkel smiled, and though it seemed completely genial there was a smug look in his eyes. "I'm here to guide our guests to the captain," he said. The girl opened her mouth, looking ready to argue, but Mikkel cut her off. "You're still on duty in the Nest, Sarri. No one's going to cover for you. I, on the other hand, have plenty of people to patrol the deck."

Sarri gaped at him for a moment, before turning away with a scowl. "You're a horrible, horrible little brother, you know that, right?" she said sulkily.

Mikkel just grinned. "Ah, what are little brothers for if not to annoy their older siblings?" he said with a grin and a wink towards Luffy, who giggled at his antics.

"How about adoring their older siblings and doing everything their told?" she asked.

Mikkel seemed to think about it for a moment. "Nah!" he said before sticking his tongue out at her.

"You little shit!" she yelled, swiping at him, though she had a fond look in her eyes.

Mikkel just laughed as he danced out of her reach. "C'mon you guys! We need to take you to the captain!" Mikkel called to the two brothers before he began walking towards the back of the ship.

Mikkel lead them down into the lower decks of the ship. He walked silently, easily traversing the maze of hallways. It was almost as confusing as the Moby Dick. If it had been the same size, it probably would have been. The similarity between the two ships was only a fleeting thought, though, easily replaced by another, more suspicious one.

"Why would you bring a couple of strangers into the private quarters of your ship?"

Mikkel turned his head just enough to look back at them. "The captain's kind of lazy, so he didn't want to come out on deck this late at night," he said with a shrug as if it was normal behavior.

Luffy giggled from beside him, a grin stretching across his face. "He sounds like Shanks!"

Mikkel's steps faltered slightly before he continued on at his normal pace. "Shanks?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah! He's –" Luffy began excitedly before he was cut off by a hand over his mouth.

"Luffy." Ace's voice was quiet, but held a hint of warning.

Luffy's eyes widened for a second before his own hands came up to cover his mouth. "I can't talk about him," he said, mouth still covered, though his words were still distinguishable.

Mikkel looked back at Ace with new suspicion, but Ace ignored him and only kept his eyes forward. After a few more moments of awkward silence, the three made it to a large oaken door with the word 'captain' inscribed on it. Mikkel gave two sharp raps and waited until he heard a voice call from inside.

"You can enter."

Luffy cocked his head to the side, thinking that the voice sounded slightly familiar, before he shrugged it off and walked into the room a step behind Ace. The inside of the room was a respectable size with two desks – one facing the door on the back wall and the other to the left facing the right wall. A man sat at each one. One was tall with long blonde hair streaked with gray and held back in a ponytail. His beard was a dark gray color and his eyes, hidden behind round spectacles, a light, piercing gray. He looked familiar, but Luffy couldn't quite place it. His face was set into a severe expression as he stared, unimpressed at the other man.

This other man Luffy also recognized, but he didn't have to wonder from where. He knew who he was already, he just couldn't believe it. He was tall like the other, but his hair was shorter, just below his chin, and black instead of blonde. His eyes were a stormy gray, though his lids were at half-mast, showing boredom and exhaustion. The mustache was the biggest give away as to his identity, though. It was curly and reminiscent of the one on the Jolly Roger, though there was only one grouping of hair.

"You're…" Ace whispered in a barely audible voice, though it seemed everyone could still hear him.

The mustached man looked them over lazily while Mikkel began to speak. "Captain, these are the two from the dinghy."

"Hmm? Were you caught in that storm a few days ago?" the captain asked.

Neither boy answered. Ace was pale, causing his freckles to stand out strikingly against his skin. Luffy's mouth was hanging wide open, though a sparkle of excitement had begun to gleam in his eyes. They were in stark contrast to each other, but the reactions were just as worrying despite their differences.

The blonde man narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong?"

Ace remained silent, but Luffy's slack jawed shock quickly evaporated to make way for exultant glee. His eyes shown and a wide grin stretched across his face. "You're-!"

But suddenly Ace was moving, jarred from his own shock at the sound of his brother's voice, and clamped a hand over his mouth. "Luffy!" he hissed.

Luffy snapped his mouth closed seeing the wild look in his brother's eyes. He knew Ace wouldn't be handling this situation very well. He had issues with Gol D. Roger being his father. As much as Luffy idolized the man, Ace loathed him.

"Sorry, Ace…" he said quietly once his brother's hand had left his mouth.

Ace sighed, regretting his shouting a little as his brother's face fell. Even so, Luffy still needed to be quiet. More than his own reservations regarding his father, there current situation required tight lipped caution. If they were really in the past (and it was either that or Ace had gone nuts, which was a distinct possibility, though he got the feeling wasn't the case) then they would need to be even more careful than Ace had first anticipated. Anything they did or said could change the future.

Ace grabbed his hand and gave it a little squeeze as way of apology, before he stepped forward to take over the conversation, his face devoid of emotion so as not to give anything away. "Sorry," he said with as much politeness as he could manage. "But you are Gol D. Roger and my brother is a little excitable."

Roger smiled widely. "So you've heard of me!"

Ace snorted in derision. "Who hasn't?" he asked scornfully, though it was more to himself than anyone else.

The blonde man, Rayleigh, he supposed if that really was Roger, and Mikkel looked irritated at the disrespect but Roger just laughed. "I suppose you have a point," he said jovially, before becoming more serious. "You don't have to worry about us hurting you. We only hurt Marines and pirates who try and attack us."

The guarded look never left Ace's eyes, but he bowed and spoke with utmost politeness and respect. "Thank you for bringing us aboard," he said before standing back up. "My name is Ace and this is my brother, Luffy," he introduced. He would have preferred to use fake names, but they had already used their real ones enough times to bring up suspicion if he did. "We were forced to abandon our ship when the squalls hit."

"Was that debris from your ship, then?" Mikkel asked curiously, remembering the floating planks.

"Of course not," Ace said brushing the idea away. "We drifted for a while before we came to this area."

Roger stared at the two boys, a contemplative look on his face. His eyes roved over them, lingering briefly on the large scar on Ace's chest and the oddly familiar looking hat settled on Luffy's back, before he looked back into their eyes. After a moment, he nodded his head, coming to a decision.

"Well, I can't very well send a couple of children back into the ocean," he said, a grin stretching across his face. He shot Rayleigh a look and the blonde shook his head.

"You're the captain. It's up to you," he said, knowing they'd be staying whether he agreed or not. It was just easier to cave to the whims of his captain.

"Great! We're a couple of weeks away from any islands, but we'll take you along," he told them.

Ace gave them a guarded look while Luffy looked like his eyes might pop out in excitement. After a moment, Ace gave another bow. "Thank you for your help."

"Shishishi! Yeah, thanks!" Luffy said.

"Mikkel, find them a place to stay. It might be best if they don't bunk with the others," Roger said and Mikkel nodded in understanding. As nice as the men on Roger's crew were, they were still pirates and they might not take too kindly to a couple of strange kids encroaching on their territory, especially since the older one seemed rather antisocial.

"Aye, aye, Captain," Mikkel said, before leading Ace and Luffy out.

As soon as the three had left, Rayleigh turned towards his captain. "Are you sure about this, Roger?"

For a moment he was quiet, still staring intensely at the door the two strange boys and his crewmate had walked through. "There's something about them. I don't really get it, but I feel like I'll regret it if I don't help them," he finally said.

Rayleigh hummed in consideration. "I understand what you mean," he said, looking briefly at the door, before turning back to Roger. "But those scars…they're not normal boys. They're definitely hiding something."

Roger understood his first mate's concern. The wounds on the boys' bodies were numerous and very severe. The one on Ace's chest looked like it should have killed him. If the nearly matching one on his back was any indicator, whatever happened appeared to have gone straight through him. But that was definitely impossible. No one could have survived it. And yet the evidence was still there.

Despite all of this, though, he couldn't help but feel that they were trustworthy.

Roger finally looked at Rayleigh, a crooked grin on his face. "Maybe they are," he said with a careless shrug, "But aren't we all?"

Rayleigh couldn't really argue with that. After all, he and his captain were still keeping something from their own crew. He couldn't really blame two children who looked like they'd been through hell and back for hiding things from a bunch of wanted criminals.

* * *

Half an hour after they had left the Captain's office Ace and Luffy were sequestered in a rather small room where they would be staying for the time being. Ace was sure it was actually a liberated storage room, given the slightly stale smell in the air and the bits of rice grains and rope fibers. He didn't really care too much, though. He had slept in worse places, considering he grew up in a Mountain Bandit's hideout, lived in a tree house and slept just about anywhere he could find shelter for his head during his travels on the sea. If anything, he was glad they had been given their own personal space. It would make it easier for him and Luffy to talk without being overheard.

Luffy was busy inspecting every inch of the small space while Ace had already begun to get their pallet together. The crew didn't have any extra hammocks lying around, and even if they had, they wouldn't have been able to hang one up in their room. So, as a substitute, some of the more congenial crewmembers had given up a few extra blankets and pillows. It wouldn't be the most comfortable sleeping arrangements, but they'd had worse at Dadan's sometimes.

Once everything was set up and Luffy had settled down somewhat, Ace decided that they needed to talk.

"Luffy," he said, getting his brother's attention. "I'm sure you've figured out what's going on, haven't you?"

Luffy nodded his head firmly. "We're on a ghost ship."

Ace sighed in exasperation. Perhaps he had been expecting too much, but with Luffy, it wasn't always easy to tell. "I doubt it. If it were a ghost ship, Rayleigh wouldn't be here."

Luffy cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Rayleigh's here?"

Ace nodded. "Yeah, the blonde with Roger – that was Rayleigh when he was younger."

"Oh!" Luffy said in understanding.

Ace was quick to dissuade his thought process. He knew it was going in the wrong direction. "No, Luffy, Rayleigh did not follow us to wherever we are," he said. The understanding in Luffy's eyes petered out and he cocked his head in confusion again. "While Rayleigh is younger, he didn't go from older to younger like we did."

Luffy gave frustrated pout. "I don't get it."

"What I'm trying to say is…" Ace looked around, even though he knew no one was there before he leaned in close to Luffy's ear. "…we're in the past."

"Oh." Ace waited for a beat. "EEEEHHH!?"

"Shh!" Ace quickly hushed his brother. "It's the only thing that makes sense. Even if it really doesn't make much sense…"

Luffy looked at his brother worriedly. His face was tense and there was fear hidden deep within his eyes. If Luffy had been anyone else he wouldn't have noticed. But he was Ace's brother and he could tell when he was upset.

"We have to get back," Luffy said adamantly. "Everyone will be waiting."

Ace grimaced. "I know. I just wish I knew how."

A knock came at the door, startling the two brothers. They tensed and Ace nearly cursed at the flames that briefly danced along his shoulders before he quickly put them out. He was just in time as the door slowly cracked open and Mikkel's head peaked in. He smiled, before opening the door wider and walking in with a platter of food in each hand.

"Here," he said putting the food down on the floor. "We figured you'd be hungry, but dinner ended hours ago. You'll have to come to the mess tomorrow, though. I'm not a waiter," he told them with a slight huff. He had obviously complained to somebody else at some point about this particular chore.

Ace and Luffy, however, could have cared less about his attitude. They were starving and they might have even been grateful enough to kiss the guy, if they hadn't been so busy stuffing their faces. It wouldn't really be enough to fill them up, but anything at this point was appreciated. About halfway through his own platter, Ace managed to look up to a wide-eyed Mikkel and give a muffled 'thanks' before he was forced to defend his food from Luffy's wandering hands.

A short time later and both platters of food had been licked clean. The two brothers noticed that Mikkel was no longer with them, but they couldn't really recall him leaving. Ace stacked up their trays and put them in a corner of the room away from their pallet of blankets. Meanwhile, Luffy whined about how he was still hungry, the miniscule amount of food (at least for him and Ace) not having been enough to satisfy his voracious appetite.

"It'll have to do for now, Luffy," Ace said as he went about getting comfortable. "When we go to the Mess Hall for breakfast, we'll be able to eat until we're full."

At least he hoped so. Their appetites were larger than most, so the crew might not actually be equipped to handle it. He wasn't about to tell his little brother that, though.

Luffy pouted at him, but dropped the subject surprisingly fast, instead choosing to sidle up next to him on their makeshift bed. Ace supposed that recent events were still affecting him. Not that he blamed him. Ace was still shaken up by almost dying. Even still, it hurt to see his brother so docile. Luffy had always been clingy, but he had never been good at doing what he was told. That he was listening so well to what Ace told him was a little heartbreaking, especially since he knew it was partially his fault.

And now they were stuck in the past, alone, on his father's ship…

Ace frowned as a thought occurred to him. "Luffy," he called quietly.

"Yeah?" Luffy asked tiredly.

"Don't say anything about the future," he said. He could feel Luffy shifting beside him as he continued. "No matter what, even if they could help, we can't tell them where we're from or who we really are. Anything we say could change the future, and not necessarily for the better."

Luffy sat up and looked at his brother with a contemplative frown. "You mean like the Pirate King not becoming the Pirate King?"

Ace smiled at his brother, but it was thin and a little grim. "Right. Or we could do or say something that might make it so we never meet or become brothers."

Luffy's eyes widened and he let out a distressed whimper before tackling his brother in a fierce hug. "No way! Don't say that!"

"Luffy…" Ace sat up and hugged his brother back. "I'm not trying to scare you, but we have to be careful. I don't want something like that to happen anymore than you do so we have to make sure that we're very careful with what we say. Now, you can't lie to save your life, so leave the majority of the talking to me, and if anyone asks you any questions that could reveal the future, just say you can't answer," Ace told him.

Luffy didn't say anything and Ace frowned a little. "Luffy? Hey, Luffy." He shook his brother's shoulder, but all he received in response was a soft snore. He blinked and then blinked again before finally letting out a resigned sigh. "I'll tell him in the morning…" he muttered to himself before getting comfortable and letting sleep overtake him.

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, so that's it. Not terribly exciting, but I hope I did okay on Luffy's attitude. There wasn't much of him in the last chapter, so there wasn't as much to mess up on, but this chapter is making me a little nervous. Also, any insight into the characterization of the other canon characters would be great.**

 **I hope you liked my OCs. I tried my best with them and I like them, but it really does only matter if everyone else also liked them...**

 **Don't forget, if you have any characters you would like to contribute to the crew, do so through a PM. I won't except any contributions given through reviews, even if the reviewer is a guest and doesn't have an account. If you would like to do this, please include a physical description (it doesn't have to be super detailed, but include anything striking you specifically want mentioned like a scar or tattoo or strange physical characteristic), a bit about their personality, and a ship position. I they don't have a specific position, just say crewman. Mikkel and Sarri would be under this category.**

 **Anyway, until next time, which will hopefully be next Monday, but definitely the one after that.**


	3. IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!

**A/N: Okay, I hate to do this, because I only just started Conquering Destiny and Crossing Boundaries is almost finished, but I felt that I needed to inform all of my readers what's going on instead of leave them hanging.**

 **First, let me clarify that I WILL NOT BE ABANDONING ANY OF MY STORIES. They will, eventually, be updated.**

 **That brings me to my other point. While I certainly have no plans to abandon either of my stories, I am not going to torture myself to get them up in any kind of timely manner. For those of you reading Crossing Boundaries, you're all saints. You've put up with my haphazard updating since the beginning and you're all very supportive and I appreciate it greatly. If you can just hang in there a little longer, the story will be completed.**

 **For those of you reading Conquering Destiny, you have yet to understand the full extent of ho dismally late I can be in updating. I had set out to update quicker, but then one thing after another happened and I couldn't make it. The next chapter is in the works, but with school having started and my focus going back to my original work for now, I can't guarantee when it will be up. I hope you will still wait for me, but I understand if you don't wish to.**

 **The point of this Authors Note is to let you all know that my stories are still there, and in the works, but likely won't be finished within the next week or so (though it's not out of the realm of possibility). I really need to focus on my school and on myself and let my fanfiction writing be done because I'm having fun with it and not because I feel obligated to get it up. Than only slows me down and makes me anxious.**

 **Anyway, sorry for this note not being a chapter. I know it's frustrating, but sometimes it's necessary, and I felt it was important to keep all of you informed.**

 **Thank you for your patience.**

 **~Yua-hime~**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I am so sorry this took so long to get up. I feel terrible. Although I was out of the country for a few weeks, It's been nearly a years since I updated and there's really no excuse. I'm going to try and update more frequently, so please bare with me. There's a little more cursing in this chapter, and the ending is a little rushed, but I honestly don't have anything else to put there. I've done my best to make it an interesting chapter, but it's really here because it's necessary not because it's fun. The first part is kind of depressing, but I tried to end it on a funny not. Hopefully I didn't fall too short.**

 **Anyway, I'd like to thank everyone who had reviewed, favorited, and followed this story or me. I normally list everyone who has reviewed by name, but it's been so long, I've decided to give a blanket thanks. Your support means a lot to me and I do plan to finish this story, since a great deal of it is already outlined. It's just finding the time to write it that's the problem.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. It's characters and plot are the sole property of Eiichiro Oda and the holders of it licenses. This story is not meant to receive a profit or claim any kind of ownership of the work.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Aboard the Oro Jackson! The First Night**

 _Luffy was running. The landscape around him was completely devoid of life and color. The world was made of gray emptiness that stretched as far as his eyes could see. His heart beat painfully in his chest, his lungs burned, and his legs ached. Despite these physical ails, the sharp fear niggling at the back of his mind kept him from stopping._

 _The echoing of his footsteps haunted him as he ran. The sound only served to confirm how alone he truly was. He was the sole presence in an empty space. Only the thought of finding what was beyond that space kept him going. He yearned for the presence just beyond his reach – the presence he knew was there, but could not be seen, the presence that was slowly fading away, leaving him behind._

 _A flame flickered in the distance, and his hope rose. He forced himself to go faster, to move beyond his limits. If only he could reach that place – If only he could reach him – everything would be okay._

 _Luffy seemed to finally gain some ground and the flame grew larger, more defined, as he drew closer. Soon it was not a flame at all, but a figure, standing tall and proud before him. His face was set into a serene expression, a smile curling his lips, fondness brightening his eyes. His arms were outstretched towards Luffy, as if beckoning him into an embrace. Warm, gentle, safe…_

… _Ace._

 _Relief flooded his chest and Luffy grinned widely. A rush of energy filled him and he spurred his legs to move faster. He reached out his own hands for Ace. He was so close, almost there, but then he stopped and horror flooded him as the serene scene changed._

 _The smile dropped from Ace's face and his eyes widened. His body shuddered and he coughed. Blood sprayed from his mouth, splattering the ground. The skin of his chest and stomach began to burn away, allowing blood to stream from the gaping hole that was being created. A crimson pool formed at his feet and Ace careened forward._

 _Luffy's body acted on its own. He lurched forward, catching his brother before he could hit the ground. Ace's body fell limply against him. His skin was quickly cooling, a feeling that Luffy had never associated with his older brother, even before he had eaten the Mera Mera no Mi. More than the dropping temperature, the feeling of warm blood spilling over his hands and onto his chest from the hole in the others torso caused Luffy's heart to shudder._

" _Lu…ffy…" Ace's voice was soft and weak and filled with pain._

" _Ace…"_

" _I'm…sorry…"_

"ACE!"

* * *

" _Luffy!"_

Luffy startled awake. He sat up quickly, throwing the blanket off of him and taking deep shuttering breaths. He nearly jumped when he felt strong, warm arms wrap around him from behind. He took another deep breath. The smell of cinnamon scented incense washed over him and he breathed out, relaxing into his older brother's hold.

For the next hour they sat in silence. Luffy wasn't really in the mood to talk about his dream. In fact, all he wanted to do was forget it. Ace already knew what the dream was about, anyway. There were only so many options, and considering it was his name Luffy had screamed, it became undeniably obvious. There was no way Luffy could have gone the first night after Ace's execution without a nightmare. In fact, Ace had been having his own nightmare about it before Luffy disturbed his sleep. Ace was grateful that he hadn't gotten too far into it, but he wished it hadn't been because of his brother's distress.

"Well," Ace said once both of them had calmed down more. "I guess we won't be getting any more sleep tonight."

"Sorry, Ace…" Luffy said. Luffy rarely apologized for anything and it made Ace's heart clench to hear his baby brother speak those words with such a soft tone of voice.

"Hey, I was getting hungry anyway," Ace said, which wasn't a lie, since they hadn't had much for dinner (by their standards, at least).

At the mention of food Luffy's stomach let out a monstrous growl and he pouted. "I don't want to wait for breakfast…" he whined, letting his hunger slowly sweep the depressing dream from his mind.

Ace's stomach growled as well and he gave a mischievous grin. "Well, why don't we go see if we can find the kitchens then? We'll need to find out where everything is eventually anyway…"

A wide grin stretched across Luffy's face and his eyes began to shine at the thought of exploring the Oro Jackson, and more importantly, finding its kitchen. He jumped up and bounded to the door where he waited, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet.

"Come on Ace! Hurry up! I want to find some meat!"

Ace laughed softly at his brother's one track mind before he got up more sedately, though no less eager to find food. "Alright Luffy, but we have to be quiet and sneaky, okay?" Ace really didn't want to catch the attention of the crew. They likely wouldn't do anything, but caution was still the best recourse.

Luffy, calmed down a little at his brother's words. He nodded seriously, understanding what was being said. He was no stranger to sneaking around in places he shouldn't be, whether that was the kitchens of his own pirate ship in the dead of night or the streets of the pristine Goa Kingdom city that was on his home island. "Right."

The two brothers made their way quietly down the corridors. Despite having agreed to be careful, Ace was still forced to keep Luffy from opening random doors and disturbing anyone inside. It was dangerous to sneak around a pirate ship with pirates that outclassed you by so much. Ace was familiar with how to do it, having spent a hundred days on Whitebeard's ship before he became a crewmember.

"Luffy," Ace sighed as he dragged his brother away from another door where multiple snores came through loud and clear. "The Galley won't be behind closed doors and the kitchen will be just beyond that. It's better to let sleeping pirates lie."

Luffy just grinned. "Sorry, Ace, but it sounds like there's monsters behind the doors," he said, before his face contorted into a curious expression. "Are you sure they're not monsters?"

"Luffy, they're not monster," Ace said before grabbing his brother's arm and pulling him forward. "Now come on. Unless you don't want to find the kitchen anymore?"

A small breeze passed Ace and he felt a strong tug on his arm, causing him to stumble forward for a second. He blinked in surprise as he regained his footing before he shook his head in fond amusement when he saw his brother in the lead, a rather determined look on his face.

Once Luffy had finished trying to open random doors, the boys were able to get out of the hallway they had been in. Throughout their search they came across many places that both boys thought were good to remember. The Deck was the first place they came across. They were quick to duck beneath the port holes when they saw one of the nightshift pirates walking by, before they headed further into the ship.

They came across the Captain's office again, and again were quick to pass it. There was no noise from within, but Ace didn't want to linger around too long just because of the oppressiveness he felt when he thought of their current situation. Luffy just wanted to fill his grumbling stomach. He figured he could come back later and explore all the places he and Ace were passing up in favor of their mission objective.

They also happened across an artillery room. The smell of gunpowder was strong and the door was slightly ajar. Luffy, despite his hunger, just couldn't help himself. He pushed the door open further and darted inside. Ace didn't even bother sighing. It wasn't worth wasting the breath.

Ace followed Luffy inside and looked around with a spark of interest. Back on the Moby Dick, he rarely spent time below decks in their artillery rooms. However, he remembered them being a favorite place to hide those one-hundred days when he tried to kill Whitebeard. He had felt relatively safe there. No one wanted a fight to break out where gunpowder was stored, especially not when their opponent could burst into flames.

Luffy was roaming all over one of the canons, arms and legs wrapped around it at impossible angles. He peered into the mouth of the canon and pouted.

"They're not as cool as Sunny's cannon," he said, letting his limbs snap back to their original places so he could sit atop the canon.

"Oh? They look about standard to me," Ace said, leaning closer to inspect it. "Maybe a little old, but still good quality. They probably spent a lot of money on these."

"Our cannon's _really_ big and it uses cola to power it. And it can make _huge_ explosions!" Luffy exclaimed animatedly waving his arms about.

Ace laughed at his brother's enthusiasm. "That sounds just like you! But you know, we should get going, unless you've given up finding the kitchens?"

Luffy shook his head adamantly and was by the door in seconds, waiting for Ace impatiently. Ace quickly caught up and the two brothers continued on their way. Ace managed to keep Luffy from getting distracted again and soon they were able to find the open dinner hall. They grinned at each other and Ace motioned for Luffy to stay quiet. Luffy slapped his hands over his mouth and nodded vigorously.

Ace led the way through the dark, easily avoiding the tables and chairs scattered about haphazardly. It wasn't until Ace nearly stepped on someone that they realized the dining hall wasn't completely empty. Back on the Moby Dick, it wasn't surprising to find drunk pirates passed out in the galley. But they were usually obnoxiously loud with their snoring. These pirates were eerily silent. So silent, in fact, Ace wondered if they were sleeping at all. Whatever the case may be, none of the dozen or so pirates stopped Ace's or Luffy's advancement towards the back of the room, where the kitchens were located.

Arriving at the windowless double doors, Ace looked for a lock that might impede them. He found nothing and gave the door an experimental nudge. There was a loud whine as rusted hinges scrapped against each other. Ace froze and glanced behind him. There was no movement from the sleeping bodies and no other sound was made. Ace took in a deep breath and then slid the door open wide enough for him and Luffy to squeeze in. Once inside, they made their way towards the fridges on the back wall.

Luffy giggled in anticipation. Ace could feel his own eagerness swell in the pit of his stomach. Before he had his Devil fruit abilities, Ace could go a long time without eating. Growing up with Dadan in Goa Kingdom taught him how to be hungry and how to survive. Although by the time Luffy had found him he could catch his own food, it hadn't always been that way. This skill had served him well when he had first set sail as a pirate. Now, however, with a constant fire burning inside of him, his body was less adept at surviving without food.

Before Ace and Luffy could reach the back wall, one of the fridges opened. Bright yellow light filtered through the crack, illuminating a large figure. They couldn't see his face, but muscles rippled under the skin of his broad shoulders. Brown hair was pulled back in a short pony tail, blending in with his deeply tanned skin. As he moved, black tattoos that looked like writing became visible on his forearms.

Ace silently cursed their luck. They had managed to avoid meeting up with any of the pirate crew until now. It was impossible to tell how powerful the other was, and even if he was weak enough for Ace and Luffy to take out, attacking and stealing food from their hosts was a terrible way to endear themselves. Ace didn't generally care what people thought of him and he knew Luffy didn't either, but they were in another time with diminished power and they didn't know how laid back this crew was. If they chose to throw them over board, they were done for.

Luffy's concerns were simpler and he wasn't afraid to draw attention to themselves. "Hey! That's our meat!" he yelled, standing straight and pointing an accusatory finger at the late-night-snacker.

"You idiot…" Ace said, rubbing his temples in exasperation.

The pirate jerked out of the fridge, narrowly missing the top of it with his head. When he turned to face them, Ace could just make out the rather menacing look on his face. His eyes were an icy blue, and narrowed. His brows slanted forward as if he were glaring, and yet the slight widening at the corner of his eyes showed he was surprised to see them. He had a strong jaw line, a straight nose, and his mouth was pulled down, as if in a perpetual scowl.

"Your meat, huh?" he said, eyes narrowed, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice. "And what claim do you have to it?"

"I was gonna steal it fair and square!"

The man's brows rose to his hairline and Ace stepped up to his brother's side. He might think Luffy was an idiot and shouldn't be antagonizing someone on their own ship when their power was likely much greater than theirs, but remembering his time on Whitebeard's ship before he became a member, he didn't have room to talk.

"Well, it's not really yours until you _actually_ steal it," the pirate said, his eyes flickering briefly to Ace with a calculating look, before sliding back to Luffy.

Luffy frowned before puffing out his chest, perhaps just a bit more than should have been possible on someone not made of rubber. "Then I'll fight you!"

The man looked startled by the declaration. Ace wanted to slap his little brother upside the head for picking a fight. They'd already discussed keeping their true strength and Devil Fruit abilities a secret, but if Luffy started fighting he definitely wouldn't have the self-control to keep that promise. And with this man serving on the Oro Jackson, Ace would definitely have to step in to help.

The man's face contorted and Ace stepped closer, sure the pirate was about to attack. The man's shoulders began to shake, and the two time travelers prepared for an attack. The attack never came, though. Instead, the large intimidating pirate let out a loud, bellowing laugh.

"Hey! Stop laughing!" Luffy yelled, offended.

"Sorry, but it's funny, you thinking you could take me on," the man said between chuckles.

"I could too!" Luffy yelled again, anger burning in his chest. Clenching his fists, he was about to attack, when Ace grabbed his shoulder.

"Luffy, settle down," he hissed, eyes darting from the mountain of a man in front of them, to the kitchen door behind them where a dozen of said man's comrades slept.

"But A~ace, He's laughing at me!" Luffy whined. "I could take him!"

Ace sighed and leaned closer to his brother for some privacy. "I'm sure you could," he said indulgently. "But we agreed not to show our devil fruit powers yet."

Luffy pouted. "You're so boring Ace. You used to be fun!"

Ace quirked an eyebrow. "With you as a little brother, someone's got to be the adult."

"You didn't used to," Luffy pointed out, still pouting.

Ace smiled at him sadly. "That's because Sabo was always the adult and it took me a while to learn," he said softly.

Luffy's pout fell off his face as he remembered the brother he had lost. His eyes roamed over Ace's face, his dream suddenly brought back to the forefront of his mind. He decided, for just a bit longer, he'd let Ace have his way.

Ace was relieved when Luffy didn't argue, but now thoughts of his long dead brother ran through his mind. He just couldn't win for losing. Looking back to the pirate, he realized the man had stopped laughing and was looking at him and Luffy curiously. Ace had no intention of explaining what they had been talking about and fortunately the man didn't ask.

"Well, you two sure are spunky, sneaking around a pirate ship, threatening to steal their food, and challenging one of the crew to a fight," the man said. Ace decided not to correct him on the latter two points even though Luffy was the only one to do those. He'd have been dragged in anyway. "Well, I'm not really one to talk," the pirate continued with a shrug before he moved away from the fridge. "I was down here for some food too."

Luffy's eyes practically sparkled when his way to the fridge was cleared. Ace didn't bother hiding his own enthusiasm as he and his brother began rifling through the fridge's contents.

The kitchen door banged open just as Ace and Luffy took a bite of food. Everyone's heads whipped in that direction. A young man, shorter and more lithely built than the first stalked inside. His face was contorted with irritation, brown eyes immediately narrowing as he caught sight of the large man.

"Tobi," the smaller man said, voice deceptively calm.

The man, Tobi, smiled innocently. "Trick, what a surprise to see you up so late."

Trick's eye twitched. "Sneaking food again? You're not supposed to use your position to sneak extras."

Tobi shrugged then waved a hand in the direction of Ace and Luffy, who were stuffing their faces as they watched the interaction. "What can I say? The kids were hungry."

Trick's eyes narrowed at the two. Two loud growls echoed around the kitchen and he sighed in defeat, running a burn-scarred hand through his short black hair. "Fine. Just this once," he said, walking forward and snatching the food from the two brothers. "But I'm not going to let you keep eating it _raw._ "

Luffy, who had looked rather stricken at having his food taken away, smiled widely. "Make lots of meat!" he yelled happily.

Trick raised a brow at the demand while Ace sighed at his brother's behavior. He turned towards the two pirates, bowing slightly. "Sorry for my brother, he's a bit of an idiot," he said, ignoring his brother's whining at the insult. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Trick looked away, a red tinge creeping into his cheeks. "Ah...it's not a problem," he said before shoving his chuckling crewmate towards the stoves.

Soon the savory smell of cooking meat and vegetables filled the kitchen. Ace and Luffy were sat at a small kitchen table, several plates of food already before them and quickly vanishing. Trick and Tobi were still at the stove, working fast too keep up with the bottomless pits the two boys called stomachs.

"Damn, if I'd known they were going to eat so much I'd have told them to wait," Tobi grumbled.

There wasn't any real heat to his tone and Trick smiled. He looked at the two brothers and his smile dissipated. "I'm not sure this is a good idea," he said.

Tobi looked up from where he was marinating a steak. "It was your idea in the first place," he said with a frown.

Trick looked at him confused for a moment before he shook his head firmly. "Not feeding them, you dumbass. I'm talking about having them onboard."

Tobi ignored his friends insult and hummed. "Well, it wouldn't be my first choice either, but what choice did we have? They'd be as good as dead if we left them."

"I know that," Trick said, scooping the finished stir-fry onto a large platter. "But a pirate ship is no place for children."

Tobi shrugged, scooping up his own finished dish. They set the dishes before their two guests and Luffy crowed in delight, having just finished his meat. Ace was glad the two cooks were so fast. He'd only had to defend his food from Luffy's wandering hands twice.

Ace quickly swallowed the last of his pork chops before turning to look at the two cooks. He opened his mouth to say something, but before any sound could escape, he slumped forward. His head cracked the empty plate before him and he was still.

"HOLY SHIT!" Tobi and Trick yelled before dashing forward. Tobi shook Ace by the shoulders while Trick tried to feel a pulse.

"He's got a pulse, but he's burning up!" Trick exclaimed. "Tobi, get the doctor!"

"Right!" Tobi said, heading for the door. Before he reached it, there was a snort and Trick cursed. Turning, Tobi saw Ace sitting up, blinking blurrily while Trick held a hand to his heart.

"What the...?" Tobi asked in confusion.

Ace wiped at his face, knocking away a few crumbs that had gathered on his cheeks and in his bangs. He looked at the two cooks. "Sorry, fell asleep," he said nonchalantly. He hadn't wanted to reveal such a weakness to their hosts yet, but now that it was out in the open, there was no use worrying about it.

Trick and Tobi stared at Ace in disbelief. "You fell _asleep_!?" Trick exclaimed.

Ace shrugged, dismissing their reactions while Luffy laughed. "Man, your faces look so stupid!" he said, before stuffing more food in his mouth.

"Somehow, Trick," Tobi said, as he came to stand beside his friend, "I get the feeling they're going to fit in here just fine."

Trick let out a sigh, but couldn't keep an amused smile from curving his lips.

* * *

 **A/N: So, I hope this chapter was worth the wait and I really will try and get another chapter or two out before school starts again in August, but no promises. Until next time,**

 **Yua-Hime**


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